Universal Music Germany Salutes Rammstein as Band's First Studio Album in Decade Sets Records

Universal Music is celebrating a trio of successes both internationally and in Germany this week: rock band Rammstein's untitled seventh studio LP debuted at No. 1 on the album charts in 14 countries, Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi achieved the best streaming entry ever for a new artist in the UK, and rapper Capital Bra has notched more No. 1 hits in Germany than any other artist.

"With their untitled new album, Rammstein is going straight to the top of the charts in 14 countries so far – very likely that more countries will follow Germany, Belgium, Denmark, France, The Netherlands, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Portugal, Poland, Russia, Switzerland, Austria and Canada. In Sweden, Italy, Spain, Australia, Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, and the UK, the album made it into the top five,” said Frank Briegmann, president & CEO Universal Music Central Europe and Deutsche Grammophon. "A special achievement is the album's entry at #9 of the Billboard charts, making it the bands first Top 10 album in the US.”

Briegmann said that with 270,000 units sold, the untitled album marks the most successful first week of release of the new millennium in Germany. The album is not only Rammstein's first release in ten years, but also their tenth No. 1 in Germany. The album's lead singles "Deutschland" and "Radio" have been streamed over 150 million times.

Briegmann said the band "are in a league of their own – both in terms of their music and their shows, as well as their national and international success. They are THE German music export, capturing the imagination of millions of fans across the world. They have turned provocation into an art form and yet, it is not an end in itself.”

Of course Briegmann is happy with this result and even more: with Capaldi, another domestic signing from Vertigo at Universal Music Germany, he also achieved the best streaming entry ever for a new artist in the UK. On top of that, Capaldi's album Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent is the fastest-selling album of the year in its first week of release in the UK as well as No.1 on the album charts in the UK, as well as Ireland. Another three singles by the singer-songwriter are currently in the UK Singles Top 10 and the album is in the Top 10 in another four countries: Germany, Norway, Switzerland and New Zealand.

Capaldi has been signed to Vertigo/Universal Music Germany since spring 2017. In congratulating Lewis to "this phenomenal success" Briegmann said that "the Vertigo team (…) did an amazing job, in realizing this release from our Berlin office in close cooperation with our international colleagues. Lewis' success showcases the excellent cooperation between different territories here at Universal Music and it goes to show that in terms of the development of great artists, borders play a very minor role."

Universal Music Germany's Urban Label achieved another milestone when rapper Capital Bra's new single "Wieder Lila" hit the top of the official German charts. The rapper can now claim to have the most No. 1 hits in the history of the German sales charts, with 13 of his tracks reaching the top spot of the singles charts.